But afterward Mrs. Pitney said the bells were those her husband’s father used when he went sleighriding in the winter. The bells were strapped around the horse and jingled when he trotted over the white snow, pulling the cutter after him.
It was all right for Trouble to believe they were the bells of Santa Claus, and really they sounded just like Christmas chimes.
Trouble played with the bells awhile, and then wandered off to look for something else. Janet, too, tired of the spinning wheels, though Ted did not, and Janet wandered into another corner of the attic.
It was not until Ted thought of something new to play with the big and little wheels that he looked for his sister.
“Janet! Janet!” he called. “Where are you?” The attic was cut up by many gables and all of it could not be seen from any one point. “Where are you, Jan?” cried Ted.
A banging sound answered him and then the voice of his sister cried:
“Oh, I’m locked in! I’m locked in! Help me out, Ted!”
CHAPTER IX
DOWN THE HILL
Teddy, at first, did not know whether his sister Janet was playing a joke on him or not. The Curlytops often did play jokes, for they were just like you children. And more than once Janet had fooled Ted in this way. So, thinking for a moment that it was a joke, Ted answered and said:
“Oh, come on, Jan! Quit your fooling! I know a new game to play with the spinning wheels.”